Chapter Ten; An Intruder

He howled as he entered his room and remove his clothes throwing them on the floor. Carter picked it up and put it at the right place, following his lord.

Simon picked up his red robe, and put it on, he paced around his room before he finally sit on his wooden chair.

Carter could see how troubled he looked, was it because of him or the slaves? To be honest, he knows his lord knows about his betrayal. That he was the one that told Aria about the secret passage, but he found it strange that he decided to punish the most innocent in this issue, and let Aria and him go without any punishment.

Is he planning on punishing him later? Maybe chop his head off and make him a scapegoat to others. He is curious, why is he so silent to him?

"Is there something you'd like to say?" Simon asked and looked at carter. 'This is it, is he going to punish him now? What exactly is going to be his punishment?' Carter thought and gulped down his saliva. If he is going to kill him, then he might as well do him a favour. Release the slave in the dungeon, Aria has been on his neck because of it. Crying and pleading to save Imogen, though he has no power. He just can't allow Aria to be sad, it hurts him more than anything.

"The slave knows nothing about the secret passage, I was the....." Before he could finish his statement, Simon slammed his hand on the table in front of him.

"Don't..." He warned and Carter keep shut. "Don't say it, if you do then I am afraid that I might lose a friend that has been with me all this while" Simon let out, his face filled with sad emotion for the first time in a long time.

Carter looked at him surprised, he doesn't want to punish him? He is scared to do so because he doesn't want to lose him? But still, he feels guilty toward the slave in the dungeon, it was him who told Aria about the secret passage. If he hadn't told Aria then they won't sneak out in the first place.

'This was all his fault'

Silence filled the room, no one talking not until Simon breaks the silence.

"Why did you do it? Why did you tell her about the secret passage? Were you going to run away from me? Was I that cruel to you?" Simon asked him, pain visible in his voice.

Carter looked at him and get on his knees immediately "I will never try to run away from you, I owe you my life. You saved me and my family, even if I had to, I will die for you" He confessed but that only seems to anger Simon more.

If he meant all these, then why did he tell the slave about the secret passage. Perhaps...

"Did you want her to escape from me, the slave Aria...What is going on between you two?"

Carter swear he could sense the hatred in this voice, he fear it wasn't for him but her. That he might have already developed a hatred for Aria, he knows his lord. He is possessive especially when it comes to the thing he likes, and if someone tried to distract or take them from him. Then that person becomes his enemy, he feared that he might have already considered Aria his enemy because of him.

His lips shake in fear, so does his body. What will he do to her? Will he have her killed? If he does, will he hate his lord for killing the woman he cared for, after everything his lord has done for him or will he hate himself for not protecting the woman he cares for and letting his lord hurt her?

Silence invaded the room again, none of them said anything. Simon looked at Carter as he shakes in fear, he knows how terrified he was.

But one thing, Simon do know is that he won't kill Carter no matter what. He is like his brother, he cares for him. Both Carter and Prince George are two people special to him, not even his uncle or his cousins. So he won't hurt him, but he isn't sure about that slave, the one who let Carter's guard down enough to let out his secrets.

'Does he like her that much, enough to betray him' Simon thought and hatred filled his mind, hatred for that Aria.

"Don't say anything, I don't want to hear it. You can leave now, and block the secret passage tonight. I don't want any more slaves outside the castle" Simon ordered while carter stood to his feet and bowed his head.

'It is better not to say anything tonight than to provoke him more' Carter thought as he made his way to the door but Simon stopped him.

"Carter" He called and his guard stopped and turned to him.

"Yes, my lord"

"I don't want to lose you or make you cry, so whatever you have for her. Let it go, or else I can't assure what will happen to her next" Simon said referring to Aria. Carter understands clearly, he is giving him a chance. A chance to save Aria, but that is also letting go of his feelings for her.

"You and that slave are my possession, but I care for one and the other is just a tool I can discard. Just because I don't call her to my bed often doesn't mean she isn't mine, so don't dream of any useless future with her or develop anything more than this. She might get hurt, and you might not like it" Simon said and Carter bowed, then left his room.

It was a warning. His lord want him to let go of Aria or he will hurt her, that is what he was saying. And that is what he has to do, to protect her.

'But won't that be hard....' Carter thought as he saw Aria waiting for him outside the master quarter. His movement stopped and his heart sank. Seeing her crying and this messy, knowing that she is in pain and he is about to add more pain makes him so sad.

Aria spotted Carter and ran to him, not caring about the guards at the master quarter. "What did he say, did he agree to let Imogen go?" Aria asked as she clenched on his clothes, eager to know the fate of her friend.

Carter looked at her for a moment, and release her hands from his clothes, Aria looked at him surprised.

He was to comfort her, but he will be making her sadder.

"Why do I have to report you to you?"

"What?"

"You are just a mere slave, why are you acting like you are something important to me? You are just a mere s3x slave" He yelled while the guards looked at them then turned their attention back to their duties.

Aria gasped shocked at his words...'A mere s3x slave, if it was another person calling her that then she won't feel this hurt but it is different if it coming from him, it is different if it coming from Carter.' She thought as droplets of tears fall on the floor.

"What? Did something happen inside there? Is that why you are so angry?" Aria questioned but Carter only chuckled at her word.

"You must think big of yourself if not, then you won't be saying this. But then again it is my fault, for making a worthless slave like you feel so special" He huffed in annoyance and received a hard slap from Aria.

Carter looked at her face angrily, but it went away when he saw the pain in her eyes. He needs no one to tell him that he hurt her and he hated himself for it.

"Thank you for giving this worthless s3x slave, hope that she might be adored despite being a slave. I never knew that you were this horrible, thank you for showing your true self" She grunted and left him.

Carter smiled as she walked away not looking back, "if it is to save you then I will do anything. To make sure that you are safe, that way I can be happy knowing you are alright."

Simon sighed as he stared at his ceiling, filled with so many thoughts and at the same time confused.

He has a lot of things to deal with, how to destroy Lucien and his family, support George and protect him, making sure Carter doesn't betray him or leave him but above all, he just can't get these thoughts off his head.

Why did he kiss her? That slave, he was on the edge of killing her and he was positive that he was enjoying choking the life out of her but all of sudden he kissed her, he felt so vulnerable to her at that moment even though he knows she was hardly seducing him in that state.

But that is what it seems to him, that moment he just wants to kiss the life out of her, devour on her lips, but not only her lips every part of her body.

He is a man of control, however, when he is with her it seems different. He ought to have killed her the first time she served him, especially when she made a deal with him instead he found it interesting, entertaining, intriguing.

No human will have dared to try that with him, and go free but she did and she is still breathing after all.

But he wondered how long it will last, he is anticipating to see how long she can keep acting tough.

That girl is a threat to him, and if he doesn't break her then she will eventually break him.

He was still lost in thought when he heard some noise outside.

"There is an intruder in the castle..."

*******

Annabelle pounded on the door, knocking it with her full strength.

"You bastards, let me out this instant. Do you know who I am? Locking me here means insulting me?... "She gave in and break down into hot tears.

"At least, let me see my baby" She cries. It has been two days since she has been locked up in a room. She had no clue how she got here, she woke up and she was here in this room. Not permitted to go out or see her baby or her monstrous husband, she hates it in here.

She feels so lonely and worried about her baby, it will have been better if her maid was still alive, then she will give some updates and check on her baby, but she is dead thanks to her husband.

Annabelle was so heartbroken thinking about her maid that she had no idea that the door had opened and her husband was in the room with her.

Lucien looked at her pained, she might not love him but he does with his everything. That is why he betrayed his friends, just to be with her.

The only person that he cherished and adore. He bend and hugged her from behind, startling her. Annabelle flinched and pushed him away, she stood to her feet and so does Lucien.

"Where am I? Where is my baby?" Annabelle asked with her eyes shooting fire. She hate him so much, he had her locked up and is keeping her baby from her.

"Our baby is fine, his nanny is taking care of him. And we are in Avis" Lucien answered and Annabelle quivered in fear.

"Why are we here? Simon, did you harm Simon?" Annabelle yelled but Lucien held her by her shoulder with a full grip, hurting her.

"Why must it always be him? Can't you see me? I am your husband, am the one that loves you not Simon." Lucien stated, trying his best to hold back his pain and suppress his anger.

"Everything, I had done so far is because of you. I betrayed him to be with you, I allied with the man I hate the most, I allied with my father and became a puppet for your father and I killed the people that treated me like their son all because I want you, I want you to be mine but no matter what I do or have done. Your heart won't belong to me, do I have to also kill him before I get you to be mine" He asked, his voice filled with pain.

Annabelle glanced at him with guilt, it was all her fault. She knows that she made Lucien and Simon monsters. She knows that and regrets it, she was so blindly in love with Simon that she didn't notice Lucien's feeling for her. No, she noticed but she chose to ignore his feelings, then one drunk and lonely night. She went to Lucien, and they did the unforgiving thing.

She was the devil that made two friends enemies, but that doesn't change her feelings. She still loves Simon, and she doesn't want Lucien to hurt him.

"I am sorry, I was wrong" Annabelle apologized surprising her husband, this was the first time she will ever apologize to him ."I won't do that again, forgive me" She said in a soft and seductive voice.

Lucien's hand dropped and he looked at her dazed. Annabelle smiled and pulled him in for a kiss.

Lucien respond to the kiss, deepening it. Annabelle smiled amidst the kiss knowing her plan is going as she planned.

She will let Lucien loosen his guard, feeling comfortable around her and then she will take her baby and leave Lucien, and go to Simon. Hopefully, he will take her back after all she knows Simon more than anything.

But little did she know that Lucien has something more in mind. He knows he was been tricked, and he wants to see how long she planned on taking it.